Means for locking the steering wheels of motor vehicles



April 23, 1929- c. E. CHITTENDEN ET AL 1,709,839

MEANS FOR LOOKING THE STEERING WHEELS 8F MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Sept. 28, 1926' INVENTORS CHARLEI EDLVfl/ZD C/l/TTf/YDE/Y B CHARLEJ fAB/A Y 624W; 0 M 0% Clawxm Aiicrheys'.

Patented Apr. 23, 1929. v V

IUN l TED S TAT CHARLES EDWARD cnrrrnnnnn 1 mass veser es-f r QFHQE,

nn CHARLES rattan, or" A' UC KLAND, New ZEALANDL f v MEANS roe LocKnve THE STEERING wnrnnns or Moron v'niirctss.

Application filed. September 28, 1826, Serial'No.

This invention has been devised with the object of providing means for usein looking the steering wheel of a motor vehicle from turning movement, in order thus that any unauthorizeduse of the vehicle'may be prevented.

- The said means are of a nature such as to be capable of attachment to the steering column in a manner to prevent their removal therefrom when the appliance is locked, and

in the operation of the appliance, to lock i with a cross head Ewhich is adapted, when t the wheel to; the column so that it is incapable of turning, such locking being effected through the agency of a special key provided for the purpose.

These means are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view of a steering wheel and column illustrating the manner of employing the fastener.

Figure 2 is a side view of the fastener, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a front View thereof.

Figure 4 is a front view of the clamp portion of the fastener.

-Figure 5 is a plan View, on a still further enlarged scale of the arm portion of the fastener. v

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of the steering wheel engaging means, taken on the line 66 of Figure 5. t

Figure 7 is anunderneath plan of the-cap portion of these means.

Figures 8.and 9 are sectional detail views illustrating an approved form of lock for securing the said cap in position.

The appliance devised comprises a clamp portion adapted to be clamped around the steering column A close up beneath the wheel B, such clamp being formed of two members C and C fitting upon the column from opposite sides and secured together by means of set screws 0. Such set screws pass through the front member C and have their heads countersunk into the surface of such member, which surface its made straight but".

has, a number of knobs 0 projecting out from it, as shown more particularly in Figure 4. j i

Combined with this clamp, is an arm I) one end; of which is pivoted, as at D, to the bottom'of the clamp member C in such a manner that it-may tu'r'n upward to extend up the front'of such member, or downward to free it. This arm, at its lower end, is

may also be lockedb'y 138,274,21116. in New Zealandnugust '14, 1926.

.made with a flat portionadaptedto cover the' front of the clamp whenfit isturned' up,

any side-movement'toexpose the heads of When-therefore the arm is the set'screws c.

raised and kept raised, the set screws are covered'in such a manner that no ordinary tool can have aoc'essktothem to permit of the removal of the clamp from the column. The upper end of the drum D is shaped the arm; is. turned upward, to engage beneath aspoke of the-wheelB and extend V laterally across such spoke.

cross hea d E sothatthe spoke 'is held between them and thewheel thus restrained from any turning movement.

The inventionprovides facilities for at--' taching and removing the said cap piece F so that the wheel may be locked by turning the arm D up and placing the cap in position, or freed by removing the cap and turning the arm down on'its hinge.

In the form'at1on of the cross head and cap piece according to the manner. shown in the drawings and particularly in Figures 5 to 9 thereof,,the cross head 1s made at one end with an upwardly projecting fin orlug I G from each side of which a pin G projects laterally. The corresponding end of the cap piece F 1s made with a recess H adapted to fit down overthe lug Ggand with notches H, one on each side of the recess, that are adapted to be passed in beneath the said pins,

hold that end ofthe cap from lifting.

with a bore J extending-laterally through V it, and with an aperture J". in itstop, opening down into such bore. "The correspond ing end of-the cap is made with a tongue extension K that is shaped toturn down through the aperture and into this bore,,and

which tongue has hole K made to extend laterally through 'it., Consequently this-end f i passing a locking pin 1 through v the. said hole. In Figures 8 and 9 a ice suitable form of locki'ng p n andja ctuating means therefor,are- A i, shown- In th s case,'theglock ng pin-IVIisg mounted to slide in a cylinderN fitted inside the bore J, toextend longitudinally therein, and such pin at its outer end, is. made fast to a small cross bar M that projects into slots N formed in the side of the cylinder and is attached to a ring 0 surrounding the cylinder. A1 spring P is placed around the cylinder and such spring is compressed between the ring 0 and the inner end of the cylinder so as thus to normally force the pin M outward'to free its inner end from the aperture J, and thereby to permit of the cap tongue K being placed Within or removed from such aperture. The pin is,

fhoweveiyadapted to be forced inward to pass through the tongue K- by pressureupon V its outer end, and then by a partial rotation in its cylinder to be retained in such position, by for-'mingthe inner ends of the slots N With bayonet joint extensions a (Fig- .ure 9).

The turning of the pin to effect the lock-', ing and releasing action is performed by 1 a key fitting on to its outer end. -By shap- CHARLES ing the pin end and the key in special forms,

or, With Wards specially arranged, the look I may be adapted to be operated only by a distinctive key so that the desired individuality may be obtained for each lock, thusfitted in these appliances;

lVe claim:

H An automobile lock, comprising a clamp portion for attachment to the steering column, an arm hinged to'said clamp and having its upper end forked for fitting over the bottom of a Wheel-spoke, said fork having at one extremity a doublerpin pintle.

formation and on the other extremity a key-controlled locking -pin, and 'a separate yoke member forfitting over the upper side of. the spoke and having recesses on one.

end for hinging on said pintle formation, and a tongue on the other end for engagement by said locking pin.

In testimony whereohwe afiixour signatures. y

. EDWARD CHITTENDEN CHARLES FABIAN. I 7 

